What would you say to this shocking patient statement?
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Obese female in her forties admitted from the ED for asthma, allergy list a mile long, takes medication for anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia, migraines, chronic back pain, etc. Has packed her comfy... Read More

Wow Jeff perhaps you should reconsider your career choice or at the VERY least review the chapters referencing subjective versus objective....

Nope. I'm just not naive and don't think everything needs to be seen through rose colored glasses. I don't see the problem with calling a spade a spade. I'm also quite content in my career choice and fairly darn good at what I do.

Obese female in her forties admitted from the ED for asthma, allergy list a mile long, takes medication for anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia, migraines, chronic back pain, etc. Has packed her comfy jammies, memory foam pillow, iPad, laptop, and cell phone, and before she has even entered the room she needs the facility WiFi password and a pass to the cafeteria because she hasn't eaten all day.

This is just me venting and trying not to sound too judgmental. This actually happens all the time and I am used to "professional patients". I just wanted to paint a metal image for what this patient said while I was admitting her.

I learned she had recently been admitted to a nearby facility for the same diagnosis but left AMA. I asked why she had left AMA and she said she didn't like her doctor. I said sometimes that is the case and she could have requested a new doctor. She said she did that, and didn't like the new doctor either. I asked why and she said "They had brown skin and heavy Indian accents. I am an American, and if I go to a hospital in America, I demand to have an American doctor".

I had no idea how to respond, so I just said "It is your right to be comfortable with your doctor", then finished the admission assessment. I have been a floor nurse long enough that very little shocks me, but WOW.

How would you have responded to that statement? What other shocking things have patients said that you didn't know how to respond?

If this is you trying not to sound too judgmental, I'd hate to see what you're like when you're NOT trying. It's not OK to be a racist, but I guess it is OK to be judgmental about your patient's weight.

The fact is most American doctors go to medical school oversees and most foreign doctors go to school in the U.S...Have her think about that for a while.

Are you serious, or are you just saying that as something to shut the lady up? lol

Point of fact is at least 95% of all US residency programs go to the American medical school graduates. If the docs med school education was out of the US, it makes it very tough to get into an American residency program. So, overall, this makes the "most American doctors" part statistically improbable.

While what you say is true, it's a safety issue is why I don't like it. It's not like I'm chitchatting and the words are mixed up, the communication in healthcare is so vital that poor English skills among other English-speaking patients or coworkers can lead to dangerous problems. And it's not that I'm uncomfortable with my body, it's just that I prefer not to have a man I don't know looking at my most intimate areas, a woman has the same so it's just less uncomfortable.

Another reason healthcare workers need to be able to hold on to their cell phones. I have used the online translators directly in conversation, and while there is a reading delay, it can go fairly well--but they have to be able to read. If they cannot, you need a direct translator. I know some Spanish, and I am working on refreshing and gaining ground with the language. In the meantime, the iPhone or iPad use of online translators is quite handy for readers.

Things are changing so much, I am beginning to think that they should make Spanish a requirement in schools. It sure is handy.

Anyway JZ, I get what you are saying. IDK, depends on how you look at it to me. It doesn't bother me if the physician or nurse is a male or female, so long as they know what they are doing, are courteous, and have some sense of compassion.

Either situation in most cases can be overcome, and to me, the motivation to overcome such biases, concerns, and barriers increases exponentially with the level of pain or severity of health concern. Thus if the woman isn't in pain, discomfort, or imminent jeopardy, and she feels as she does, then she needs to go to her pre-selected primary physician or pulmonologist, a clinic, or an urgent care center.

If this is you trying not to sound too judgmental, I'd hate to see what you're like when you're NOT trying. It's not OK to be a racist, but I guess it is OK to be judgmental about your patient's weight.

Wait, I am sorry, I don't get this? How is reporting or describing the patient/situation using the word obese judgmental?

Isn't obese indeed a medical term, which we nurses and healthcare practitioners use? Maybe the OP didn't mean it any other way than as a medical description. IDK.

Wait, I am sorry, I don't get this? How is reporting or describing the patient/situation using the word obese judgmental?

Isn't obese indeed a medical term, which we nurses and healthcare practitioners use? Maybe the OP didn't mean it any other way than as a medical description. IDK.

You know and we know that the term was used in a pejorative fashion and the overall description of the patient was created to pain the least attractive picture possible. You are being disingenuous if you are attempting to hide behind the term as a medical term.

Retarded is also a medical term but I doubt anyone would appreciate that being a descriptor either.

Another reason healthcare workers need to be able to hold on to their cell phones. I have used the online translators directly in conversation, and while there is a reading delay, it can go fairly well--but they have to be able to read. If they cannot, you need a direct translator. I know some Spanish, and I am working on refreshing and gaining ground with the language. In the meantime, the iPhone or iPad use of online translators is quite handy for readers.

Things are changing so much, I am beginning to think that they should make Spanish a requirement in schools. It sure is handy.

Anyway JZ, I get what you are saying. IDK, depends on how you look at it to me. It doesn't bother me if the physician or nurse is a male or female, so long as they know what they are doing, are courteous, and have some sense of compassion.

Either situation in most cases can be overcome, and to me, the motivation to overcome such biases, concerns, and barriers increases exponentially with the level of pain or severity of health concern. Thus if the woman isn't in pain, discomfort, or imminent jeopardy, and she feels as she does, then she needs to go to her pre-selected primary physician or pulmonologist, a clinic, or an urgent care center.

I can agree with what you're saying totally, I just personally feel more comfortable with a female doctor if they need to do a pelvic or breast exam. Otherwise it couldn't matter less to me what gender or race a person is. I do struggle with people whose English fluency is poor though, it's so hard to understand is all.

You know and we know that the term was used in a pejorative fashion and the overall description of the patient was created to pain the least attractive picture possible. You are being disingenuous if you are attempting to hide behind the term as a medical term.

Retarded is also a medical term but I doubt anyone would appreciate that being a descriptor either.

Context my friend, context.

Perhaps, but the fact IS this. I don't know. I don't read minds, and I learned a long time ago about the potential for being wrong--even if one is quite discerning and intuitive. I am not God, thus I will not judge the poster's "contextual" message. This kind of thing only adds to problems in human relations.

Allow the poster to clarify for himself/herself. We humans are often more wrong that we realize or would admit.

No, I don't find the use of the word 'retarded,' with the now long-used mentally handicapped the same thing as referring to a person's condition--that is, being obese. The only context is that she was painting a word picture. Obesity is in fact a major risk factor for asthma. Perhaps that is how she was pulling it altogether in her mind as she began to describe the situation and the story.

I think some are being a little tough on this person is all I am saying.

Perhaps, but the fact IS this. I don't know. I don't read minds, and I learned a long time ago about the potential for being wrong--even if one is quite discerning and intuitive. I am not God, thus I will not judge the poster's "contextual" message. This kind of thing only adds to problems in human relations.

Allow the poster to clarify for himself/herself. We humans are often more wrong that we realize or would admit.

No, I don't find the use of the word 'retarded,' with the now long-used mentally handicapped the same thing as referring to a person's condition--that is, being obese. The only context is that she was painting a word picture. Obesity is in fact a major risk factor for asthma. Perhaps that is how she was pulling it altogether in her mind as she began to describe the situation and the story.

I think some are being a little tough on this person is all I am saying.

All of what you are saying is understood. However, allow us to open your eyes to our rationale. If a patient said an inappropriate prejudiced comment and I'm seeking advice on how I should have handled it, is giving information regarding the patients medical condition, belongings and request for a meal pass going to give you a better chance to give me sound advice? NO. The AMA situation has some relevance, as it is directly related to her prejudiced comment. Obese is a medical term, yes it has a correlation with asthma, but what position does it have in the situation at hand? None

All of what you are saying is understood. However, allow us to open your eyes to our rationale. If a patient said an inappropriate prejudiced comment and I'm seeking advice on how I should have handled it, is giving information regarding the patients medical condition, belongings and request for a meal pass going to give you a better chance to give me sound advice? NO. The AMA situation has some relevance, as it is directly related to her prejudiced comment. Obese is a medical term, yes it has a correlation with asthma, but what position does it have in the situation at hand? None

All I'm saying is that in her mind, she saw the patient as a cluster of information. If so, that, at least in my mind, is still a problem.

We can get caught up in seeing pts as health problems---as well as seeing them as problems. Pts are not clusters of data that are pains in the butts. Aggravating or not, they are people.
At any rate, it's sadly interesting to try and look at both people's perspectives.You are right. The detailed description isn't necessary. Seems like she is reacting. I just don't think, necessarily, that she was trying to be malicious about the women/pt. I think she was just surprised and frustrated w the pt and her attitude .

Finally, people complain about pts all the time on this and other sites. Why is this nurse worse than others that vent?

No one said she is worse than any other nurse that vents. The point is that when we try to call people out on something they have done we, at times, do the very thing we call then out on. So I think it is important to recognize that in us. In this example it was extremely obvious that the OP was reacting. No doubt about that. It showed in the way she presented her post. If it were strictly about the event, some comments may not have been posted, but who knows if comments to this was posted based on the irrelevant information

No one said she is worse than any other nurse that vents. The point is that when we try to call people out on something they have done we, at times, do the very thing we call then out on. So I think it is important to recognize that in us. In this example it was extremely obvious that the OP was reacting. No doubt about that. It showed in the way she presented her post. If it were strictly about the event, some comments may not have been posted, but who knows if comments to this was posted based on the irrelevant information

Yes, it's so easy for any of use to be reactionary.

When you encounter patients that appear demanding and bigoted, all you can do is strive to be professional, caring, and do the best you can.

I've been in the field a long time, and I really have learned, in general, that it's allowing oppression to take over my life when I let others get to me. Sucks up too much energy.

It does, however, get frustrating at times. You're busy with people that really want and need help, only to find people coming in that want things that are often beyond what is supposed to be provided. This is why the Press-Ganey business in many ED's is sort of baffling to me.

It's important for people that go into ED to realize that, at times, a lot of your efforts seemed geared towards being a waitress and customer service rep. You even hear ED physicians complain about this ALL the time.